Quick Deliveries are Ready at Whitehall!

“Who has time to wait?” says Phil Epstein of Levy Wilson.  “Whitehall is move-in ready now!”

    Few new neighborhoods are as prepared as the Town of Whitehall for the oncoming demand of quick delivery homes.  Strategically crafted with multiple housing styles and types, Delaware’s newest walkable town is emerging as THE place to be.  The National Realtors Association is citing “walkability” as the determining factor for home buyers as we move into the new age where seniors and millennials have a huge influence on the marketplace.

    According to Samantha Munson of Benchmark Builders, “The family market is also desiring walkability.  The idea of walking the kids to school, having them close by, and the fact that they can stay late for sports without needing a pickup is a big deal to many parents.”  And this is exactly the environment that Whitehall is cultivating.

    Opening in fall 2019, the Lorewood Grove Elementary School sits centrally on Mapleton Park and the town square of Whitehall’s Mapleton Village.  800 students and their families will enjoy this elegantly designed school and the natural surroundings of Whitehall. The goal is to begin to develop shops, restaurants and services to support those families, the residents of Whitehall, and surrounding communities on the same town square.  According to Town Founder Richard Julian, “For us, it is all about creating an exceptional experience for the resident so they don’t have to leave the community if they so choose.”  Julian added that the quick delivery product allows residents to move in immediately and begin enjoying the community and the events they have planned.  Semi-custom homes can be made available in approximately five to six months if the future resident is willing to wait.

    Events are key to Whitehall says event coordinator for the Town of Whitehall, Jacqueline DiSabatino.  She noted, “From February through December, our calendar is shaping up.  Musical tributes, food truck contests, support for veterans groups, outdoor movies and fireworks are all on the list for 2018 and we couldn’t be more excited!”

    The vision for Whitehall is to create the next great place in Delaware.  Town Founder Brian DiSabatino is often heard discussing going for a walk or bike ride along tree lined streets in Whitehall.  He points out that strolls in Lewes, old New Castle, Rockford Park and historic Dover have always been a welcome activity for residents and visitors alike.  But not until now has it been abundantly available in suburbia.  “The walk, the stroll and the roll are all alive and well in the Town of Whitehall!” says Town Founder Brian DiSabatino.

    Conceived in a manner to return the walkable community to Delaware, DiSabatino and Julian set upon a journey nearly 15 years ago to fulfill the vision of Mr. Robert Bolling, Jr.  Bolling dreamed of creating a new town that offered a better way to live on this special property along the C & D Canal and asked the pair to lead the effort.  DiSabatino and Julian studied “New Urbanist” communities like Kentlands in Maryland and Seaside in Florida (made famous by Jim Carey’s The Truman Show) and returned with a plan to emulate the playful streetscapes that made America beautiful and Delaware charming. Their firms ultimately acquired the parcel.

    The Whitehall plan consists of multiple communities or “villages” and the first one is called Mapleton Village.  Mapleton is intended to resemble the activity of a small local village, like Chesapeake City.  As you pull in and see the white post and rail fencing, you will notice a space that has already been installed, Mapleton Square.  This is a park that is complete with a stage, adult game area and kids playground.  During the past year this has been the scene for music festivals, outdoor movie nights, food festivals and family gatherings.  This park will eventually be the town square, with shops, dining, recreation, education and residential living all around it.  At the top of Mapleton Square will be the front door of the Appoquinimink School District’s new 800 student elementary school. The Founders have been in discussions with daycares, doctor’s offices and restaurants who are showing keen interest in residing along Mapleton Square.  The elementary school, the design of Whitehall and the proximity to the Route 301 exit are all reasons that selective retailers are looking at the new village.

    Whitehall “walks the walk” with respect to the town design. According to DiSabatino, “if we are going to get you to walk or ride your bike, we need it to be safe and we need it to be a beautiful journey.  Equally important, we have designed places to which you can walk.”  The streets are beautifully designed to slow down car speeds, paying homage to walkers and bikers.  Most of the streets in Mapleton Village are named for either a bike or a part of biking history.

    A variety of homes are now lining the streets Phase 1 of Mapleton Village.  The Town of Whitehall Builders Guild includes Benchmark Builders and Thompson Communities.  Together they are offering townhomes, twins, single-story bungalows, two story cottages, and larger lot estate homes.

    Come and see all Whitehall has to offer this weekend as they host the Quick Delivery Open House Weekend, from 11  a.m - 5 p.m. With seven different move-in ready homes available to tour, there will be much to see.